Fountain pen



Aug. 9, 1932. 11H. LASSAGNE FOUNTAIN PEN Original Filed Feb. l, 1926 Patented Aug. 9, 1932 STATES 'rnnononn n. LAssAeNE, on OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA FOUNTAIN PEN Reled for abandoned application Serial No. 85,277, filed February r1, 1926. This application iled v AugustA 13, 1929. Serial No. 385,631.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in fountain pens, and pertains particularly to refill mechanism therefor. y

This application is a substitute for application, Serial No. 85,277 filed February 1, 1926.

Y One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a novel mechanism for replenishing the supply of writing fluid contained in the reservoir of a fountain pen.

Another object of the present invention 1s to provide a novel mechanism for starting the fiow of writing fiuid to the writing point. Another object of the present invention is to provide mechanism of the abovetype, so constructed and arranged as to permit its control by means of the writing point or mechanism adjacent thereto.

Another object ofthe present invention is to provide an improved and simpliiied form of presser bar for resilient collapsible reservoirs.

With these and other objects in view, reference is had to the accompanyingv drawing in which: Y

Figure 1 is a. central longitudinal cross- -section of the assembled fountain pen.

Figure 2 is a. transverse section of the pen vtaken on the linek2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 isv a transverse section of the pen taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail perspective of the assembled spring and presser bars.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective of a modified form of spring and presser bar.

The illustrated embodiment of the present invention comprises a. main barrel 1 which is internally threaded at 2 to receive the externally threaded sleeve member 6, and provided with a seat 4 for oney end of the spring bar hereinafter described. The sleeve 6 is provided with a reduced externally threaded portion 7 for reception in the threaded end of the barrel 1 and has an internal shoulder at 8 for retaining the feed block 9 which is provided with a cooperating external shoulder at 10. These shoulders act to limit the sliding motion of the feed block in the forward direction, At its forward end the feedl block` is provided withi i a conventional form of feed' spoon 12 ,which is connected by duct 13 with a teatll on the rear end, which teat is connected in "any suitable manner to the open endof the resilient ink sac 5 contained within the main barrel. By this arrangement, ink from the sac is fed to the writing point 16 supported in the feed blockr9 at a point contiguous to the feed spoon 12. j

The feed block is also provided at its rear side with a seat 14 for the forward end of the spring bar 17 which is supported at its rear end in the barrel seat ,4. The spring bar has a portion 18 adjacent its front end bent longitudinally so as to' transmit pres'- sure without bending transversely, `but throughout the greater part of itsv length it is flat as at 19 and adapted to bend transversely under pressure applied to the writing point in the direction of V'its axis. vThis spring bar is connected centrally of the iat portion 19, to a presser bar 20 of rigid material which is forced against the ink sac by a transverse bending of the springbar to compress the sac. e A

A modified form of combined spring and presser bar is shown in Figure 5. In. this form the spring and presser element consists of a single vbar of lspring materialhaving S and reverse S shaped bends 21 adjacent its ends'. The end adapted tov be seated in the feedy block` is also longitudinally bent, as 'at 22, for the same purpose as outlined in the description of the other bar. When pressure is exerted on the ends in this form however, the greater part of the bending'action takes place at the S bendsand the long flat portion 23 is forced against the ink sac to compress it.v

The length of the spring bar in both forms Yis so proportioned thatpin the 4complete assembly it is under a slight constant tension to keep thefeed block as farforward as the limiting shoulders 8 and 10 will permit. This serves to bias the spring bar so vthatV it will bend under pressure in the Vdirection of the ink sac rather than against thel barrel, and also acts to hold the feed block in its foremost posit-ion. Biasing of the .spring bar may also be accomplished by making thelhead of the rivet connecting the spring and presser bars of suflicient size to hold the bars in biased position. Both means are preferably employed, the second guarding against the effect of temperature changes on the spring bar which might decrease its length so as to void the biasing by spring tension.

Since the feed block acts to a certain extent asa piston, means are provided to prevent the pumping of ink into the barrel around the sac during a filling operation. The breather hole 24 has this effect and, in addition, a greaseseal may bel eifected between the feed block and sleeve.t A Y 15 The filling operation is performed by inserting the pen point foremost into a bottle of ink until therpoint touches the bottom, pressing down upon the vpart of the barrel held in the hand until the feed block recedes. and then releasing the' pressure, holding the end of the feed duct under the surfaceY ofthe liquid until the sachas completely expanded drawing in its charge of ink.VV The recession ofthe feed block presses the ends of the spring bar together buckling the bar and forcing the presser portion against the sac, compressing it and forcing out the air contained therein. k`Whe1i the pressure is released, the resilient reaction of the spring bar forces the feed block back to its normal position With `the shoulders Sand in engagement, and allows the ink sac, Which is of resilient material such as rubber and so formed as to tend to take the expanded position, vto expand .'25 and draw in a charge of ink fromthe bottle. Actuation of compressing mechanism is also of assistance instarting the flow of ink f to the point of the pen for Writing, for Which it is necessary only to press the point very 4g slightly directly down on a surface.

Accidental compression of the ink sac in the actA of Writing will not take place for the reason that the force then exertedV is at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the p'en, and its longitudinal component Will not exceed the force exerted in the opposite direction by the spring bar which is under constanttens'ion. If found necessary in the'case of'persons Who Write With extreme'pressure or hold the pen in an unusually erect position, a small locking pin may beremovably inserted through /thesleeve into the feed block` and removed for filling.

Iclaim: 1. In azfountain pen, ab'arrel, a resilient ink sac in said barrel, spring presser bar mechanism for compressing said sac, and ,means including a Writing pointmovably mounted in said barrel for Vac-tuatin,1 igsaid 69Vmechanism'. v l Y f 2. In .awvriting implement, a barrel, a lreservoir ofvariable capacity, a Writing element movably mounted-in said barrel, means operable by longitudinal recession of said 55 element into said barrelfor decreasing the -ably mounted in said barrel', means operatedr Vby movement of said element for varying the capacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for arresting recession of said element. 3. In a Writing implement, a barrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, a Writing element support mounted for longitudinal movement in said barrel, means operable by recession of said support for decreasing the capacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for arresting recession of saidy element.

4. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a. reservoir of variable capacity, a Writing element movably mounted in said barrel, means operated by movement of said element for varying the capacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for limiting movement Vof said element in one direction.

' 5. In a fountain pen, abarrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, a Writing element movcapacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for limiting movementfof said element in one direction and restoring said ele- Vment to normal position.

6. l In a vfountain pen, a barrel, a. reservoir of variable capacity, a Writing element movably mounted in said barrel, means operated by longitudinal movement of said element for varying the capacity of said reser" voir, andresilient means for Ylimiting the movement of said element in one direction. 7. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, a Writing element movablymounted in said barrel, means operated "1.100 by longitudinal movement of said element or varying the `capacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for limiting the movement ofsaid element inone direction and restoring said element to normal position. T

8. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, Va member movably mounted in the Writing end of said barrel, means operated by movement of said member for varying the capacity of said reservoir,l and resilient means for limiting movement of said member. Y

f 9. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a reservoir of 'variable capacity, a member movably mounted in the Writing end of said barrel, means operated by movement of said member for varying the capacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for limiting the movenient, of and returning said member to normal position.

' 10.VV In a fountain pen, a barrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, a member mounted for longitudinal movement in the Writing end of said barrel, means contiolledby longitudinal movementof said member for varying the capacityof said reservoir, and resilient means for limiting movement of said member.v

1l. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, a member mounted for longitudinal movement in the VWriting end Yof said barrel, means controlled by longitudinal movement of said member forvarying the capacity of said reservoir, and resilient means for limiting movement of and returning said member to normal position.

12. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a resilient ink sac in said barrel, a Writing element carried by said barrel, and a member operated by relative movement between said Writing element and said barrel for deforming said sac and urging said displaced elements toward normal position. Y

13. In a Writing implement, a barrel, a reservoir of variable capacity, a Writing element movably mounted in said barrel, and means operated by recession of said element into said barrel for decreasing the capacity of said reservoir and operating to return said element to Writing position.

14. In a fountain pen, a barrel, an ink sac in said barrel, mechanism comprising a member laterally deformable by endwise compression for compressing said sac, and means including a Writing element movably mounted in said barrel for actuating said mechanism.

15. In a fountain pen, a barrel, an ink sac in said barrel, mechanism operable in a plane substantially normal to the axis of said barrel for deforming said sac, and means including a Writing point longitudinally movable in said barrel for actuating said mechanism.

16. In a fountain pen, a barrel, a reservoir n of variable capacity in said barrel, means for varying the capacity of said reservoir comprising means operable in a direction substantially normal to the direction of application of force thereto, and an element movably mounted in the Writing end of said barrel for actuating said means.

In testimony whereof I afl-'1X my signature.

TI-IEODORE H. LASSAGNE. 

